Syllabus

Master of Science in Education

EDU 740: Supporting Literacy Development for All Learners – Fall A 2020

Credits - 3

Description

This course will address the foundational knowledge that teachers of literacy need in order to understand the reading and writing process for students. In this course, teachers will be exposed to major theories, research, and best practices in the literacy field. Teachers will be asked to draw upon this theoretical and practice knowledge to think about issues of practice. Through engaging inquiry units, teachers will become active participants in developing a strong foundational base for literacy instruction for all learners in their classrooms.

Materials

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

Course Objectives

The objectives for this course correspond with ILA Standards for Reading Professionals 2010 and InTASC Model Core Teaching Standards, as listed below. In addition, student learning outcomes supporting the course objectives will be specified at the beginning of the week for each module.

• Students will apply foundational knowledge about literacy instruction as it relates to reading development, differentiation, and motivation. (ILA 1, 2, 4, 6; INTASC 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10) 
• Students will select and implement instructional approaches based on evidence-based rationale, student needs, and purposes for instruction. (ILA 1, 2, 4, 6; INTASC 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9)
• Students will create a literate environment which supports literacy development for all students. (ILA 4, 5, 6; INTASC 3)
• Students will create discussion board posts in order to be active and contributing members of a collaborative learning community to learn how literacy challenges affect teaching and learning. (ILA 1, 6; INTASC 1, 3, 9)

Assignments

Threaded Discussions

Online discussions provide participants with opportunities to make meaning of new theory, key concepts, and applications of theory to practice. Participants contribute to the intellectual development of the class by offering insights, synthesizing understandings, and responding to the posts of others. Students are expected to post an initial response and respond to at least two classmates each week.

Annotated Bibliography on Reading Development

In this assignment, conduct research on best practices in foundational aspects of reading instruction including comprehension, phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and concepts of print. Create an annotated bibliography of resources to inform and improve your instructional practice and advance your professional growth.

Communication of Expectations Letter to Parents

In this assignment, write a letter to the parents/guardians of a select student communicating expectations for their child based on his/her level of reading development. The letter serves a dual purpose of not only communicating teacher expectations and encouraging parental support, but also building teacher credibility.

Lesson Plan on Using Questioning and Discussion

Select a text for your content area or grade. Design a lesson plan that uses discussion and questioning to deepen comprehension of the text. The lesson plan should be sufficiently detailed that it could be submitted to a substitute or guest teacher, including information about the selected text, goals and objectives, classroom procedures/rules for discussion, differentiation strategies, and a plan for evaluating its effectiveness.

Reflection on Teaching for Transfer

As part of a mock end-of-year review, complete an informal self-evaluation of your teaching, focusing specifically on teaching for transfer. In your reflection, refer to the reading, supplementary resources and your own classroom experience to explain the relevance of transfer, classroom conditions that promote transfer, and personal areas of strength and opportunities for improvement in your teaching practice.

Intentional Teaching Plan for Supporting Diverse Literacy Learners

In this culminating assignment, create a slideshow presentation for a group of new teachers to share your knowledge and expertise in supporting diverse literacy learners in the classroom, incorporating learning from throughout the course. In your presentation, describe research-based approaches for addressing the needs of learners at different proficiency levels, including strategies for creating a literate classroom environment, addressing specific reading development issues, differentiating instruction, promoting learning transfer, and determining the impact of teaching. Presentations will be shared with colleagues through the discussion board, and students will have an opportunity to provide feedback in the following week’s discussion.

Grading Policy

Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:

Grade Breakdown

Assignment	Point Value (total 100 points)
Weeks 1-6 and 8: Discussions (3 pts. each)	21
Week 2: Annotated Bibliography on Reading Development	15
Week 3: Communication of Expectations Letter to Parents	10
Week 5: Lesson Plan on Using Questioning and Discussion	15
Week 6: Reflection on Teaching for Transfer	10
Week 7: Intentional Teaching Plan for Supporting Diverse Literacy Learners	29

Grade Scale

Grade	Points Grade	Point Average (GPA)
A	94 – 100%	4.00
A-	90 – 93%	3.75
B+	87 – 89%	3.50
B	84 – 86%	3.00
B-	80 – 83%	2.75
C+	77 – 79%	2.50
C	74 – 76%	2.00
C-	70 – 73%	1.75
D	64 – 69%	1.00
F	00 – 63%	0.00